Sailor X #13 Sky Senshi Reborn
By: John Brengman
Edited by: Thomas Schell
Outside the quarters of Ten'ou Haruka February 22, 2017
The Luna Foundation
Cass cringed as she heard yet another heavy object slam into the nearby wall. Knowing that the hurling of breakables was simply the punctuation of a shouting match increased her restlessness. Cass hated arguments.
"What's going on in there?" Sandra demanded as she approached the scene.
"Bethany and Haruka are arguing," Melissa replied.
"Again," Cass chimed in glumly.
"About the same thing?" Sandra asked as the cacophonous noise of the argument rose. Both Cass and Melissa nodded silently.
For about a minute, Sandra seemed to study the wall as if she could see the two women on the other side. Then, with a growl, she started toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Melissa asked.
Without looking back, Sandra snarled, "This is stopping now! I've told them about this…"
== * SM * ==
Observation Lounge overlooking the Hangar Bays
The Luna Foundation
Neo Queen Serenity stood at the window and looked out over the hangar deck. The flattened triangular shape of the Serena covered just under half of this hangar bay. Serenity's gaze was more upon the large empty space off to the left of the Serena. Actually, the area was not quite empty…machines and computers speckled the floor and people buzzed about on various tasks.
However, not too long ago, that area had been the roosting place of the Darien, which was being used by King Endyimon on a long-range diplomatic tour of the extents of the Moon Kingdom in an attempt to re-establish relations.
Neo Queen Serenity still remembered her husband's last kiss…some eight months ago…
"You summoned me?" Serenity quieted a gasp of surprise as she turned and saw Haruka kneeling before her. She had been too pre-occupied…
"Yes, I asked you here," the queen replied, a slight touch of disapproval in her voice. She then let Haruka remain in the kneeling position for a few more moments. Perhaps in the future the princess would respect the queen enough not to startle her.
"Rise," the queen said as she returned to her view of the hangar.
After Haruka stood, she joined the queen in looking out over the bustle of the hangar. After a few minutes, Haruka gave a bored sigh.
"You did not call me here for the view, I hope, Your Majesty."
"Please do not use that title."
"But…"
The queen's eyes narrowed. "I do not like that title, and it will not be used in my presence. Am I understood?" Haruka gave a slight nod.
Serenity paused for a second before continuing. "You will need to find someone to take over the duties of Sailor Uranus."
"I do not want to do this," Haruka replied quietly.
"This is not a question of what you want," Serenity stated simply. "The others have already selected their replacements. You are the only one who has not. You had the same chance as the others to object when we started this, and you did not. So, now you will select someone to replace you."
"But…"
"Right now, this is still technically a request," Serenity said. "If I have to repeat it, it will be an order."
"Yes ma'am," Haruka murmured a slight second before she turned to leave. Neo Queen Serenity listened to Haruka's footsteps as they faded.
The silence that followed could be cut with a knife and was only broken by a voice from the shadows…
"That was a tough thing to do."
"You've picked up a nasty habit, Raye," Serenity said to the shadows.
Raye glided forward to stand in front of her friend. "Someone has to watch over you," she said. "Especially since the king left."
"It is hard," Serenity said. "Darien was always better when it came to matters of discipline."
"You're a softie," Raye agreed.
"I don't think I have what it takes…"
"You do," Raye replied. "Haruka is a tough person, and you showed her who the boss is. And, if something comes up, you'll handle that too."
Raye approached her friend and hugged her. "And if necessary," she said, "Lita, Mina, Amy, and I will be there to help."
== * SM * ==
Soft lights lit the bed…a sterile smell was
faint in the room. Somewhere nearby, a beeping noise could be heard…
"Daddy, don't go…you can't go…"
…a tortured sigh… Then: "I can't stay…"
"Daddy!"
"…just remember what I taught you…"
"I will…"
"…promise me…" …a slight nod in response…
…the feverish-looking eyes faded…
The beeping turned steady…and a girl's
quiet sobs began…
== * SM * ==
Shinjiro Martial Arts School October 22, 2016
Tokyo
This day had started out like any other as far as Bethany Dell was concerned. She had gotten up at sunrise and did her morning workout routine as the skyline over the harbor changed from deep blue to bright red, then sky blue.
She attended her classes, found that she had passed a math test, socialized with a few people, and planned a get-together with a couple of friends for that evening.
After school, Bethany went over to the nearby martial arts school for her daily lesson. She quietly entered the building and headed toward the showers. The door into the locker area was open. Bethany paid no attention to that…the door was almost always open. She started digging around in her knapsack for the keys to her locker and was absorbed in the search when she turned the corner and saw Haruka…and she wasn't alone.
Haruka was standing, pressing Michiru against the lockers with her body. Michiru caressed her lover's body through the shirt she was wearing and both of them were caught up in a long and passionate kiss.
Betrayal drowned Bethany. She didn't like Haruka the way she and Michiru apparently liked each other, but over the few months that Haruka had been teaching lessons at the martial arts school, Bethany had become friends with both Haruka and Michiru.
However, seeing the women pressed against each other reminded Bethany of her father…who had very strict opinions on what was acceptable behavior. In fact, when the family had lived in San Francisco before joining the UN mission to Tokyo, Stephen Dell had made sure that his daughter knew what he thought about same-sex relationships.
They weren't just wrong…they were UNCLEAN!
Bethany stood staring, and inside her mind, her father's voice echoed: "…just remember what I taught you…"
Bethany hurled her knapsack into the nearby locker and stormed off, silently satisfied at Michiru's gasp of surprise.
== * SM * ==
Haruka entered the gym and saw Bethany sulking on the nearby benches. She padded across the room on bare feet and closed the doors leading out. She then locked the doors behind her. This was one lesson that Haruka didn't want anyone to interrupt. With a stern look on her face, she turned and approached her student.
"So you saw us," Haruka growled.
"How'd you guess?" Bethany responded with a glimmer of hatred in her eyes. She knew that Haruka was trying to intimidate her, and she was in no way going to shrink from this argument.
"Why did it take you this long?" Haruka asked. "It's not like Michiru and I have kept our relationship very private."
"Yes," Bethany agreed. "I just saw a very public display!"
"Why do you care about what goes on between me and Michiru?"
"I care because you and I were friends!" Bethany yelled. "My father always told me that gays and lesbians…that you were sick and unclean!"
"Your father was an idiot," Haruka stated.
Bethany stood up quickly, clenching her fist as she did. "How DARE you!" She growled as she lunged at Haruka, who blocked the fist coming at her and threw Bethany toward the mats.
And the fight was on…and it was a mix of various martial arts, wrestling, and street fighting. Faces became bruised from fists or elbows, abdomen muscles were tortured from numerous kicks or knees, and clothing was nearly ripped to shreds.
At one point, Haruka grabbed Bethany and rolled so that the younger girl was pinned to the mat. Haruka then laid down on top of her, pressed her body into Bethany's and kissed her. Bethany was too startled to do anything.
"I hate you!" Bethany screamed when Haruka broke the kiss.
"I don't think you do," Haruka said as she got to her feet and pulled Bethany up. "I hear a lot of your father in your voice, but I don't hear you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Bethany growled as she went to the benches to get a towel.
"It means this," Haruka replied. "I don't care whether you hate me or not, but if you do, hate me for your own reasons, not someone else's."
"I don't think that will be a problem," Bethany said as she toweled the sweat from her face.
"Good," Haruka said simply. "Do you mind if I tell you something?"
Bethany gave a slight shake of her head and continued to towel herself.
"I like you." Haruka said. "You have guts. Not too many people would have the spine to stand up to me the way you've done since you entered my classes. I've been hard on a few people, and I've always managed to put you in that group because I wanted to see just how much you'd put up with….and you
simply put up with it…with no complaints."
"You are my sensei," Bethany replied.
"Yes," Haruka said, "but I gave you tasks that were not ones a teacher should give. They were harder,
and they had a higher purpose than simply teaching you martial arts."
"Oh?" Bethany said, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Before I go further, there is one final test," Haruka said. "You will not like it, but it is necessary. If you pass it, I will tell you why I have singled you out for 'special treatment'."
"What do I have to do?"
"Nothing much," Haruka replied as she took the first step toward the younger girl. "Just trust me. If at any time you don't, you can walk away." Haruka continued to walk slowly toward Bethany, and the younger girl looked at her uncertainly. Haruka approached, and Bethany's eyes darted toward the door leading to the locker area. Then, her eyes seemed to steel themselves, and she looked directly at Haruka as the older woman came face to face with her. Then Haruka again stepped forward, tipped Bethany's chin up and kissed her. With her free hand, Haruka pulled Bethany close, ignoring the slight shudder that ran through the young girl's body.
"Why…" Bethany whispered when the kiss was broken.
"I know that you hate me," Haruka said. "In fact, I can use that hatred to make you stronger. However, you can be of no use to me if your hatred is stronger than your trust."
"You make it sound as though you are going to use me as a fork or something," Bethany replied.
"No," Haruka said. "Do you remember the stories of Sailor Moon and the other Sailors…."
And the talk began. Haruka explained how she was in the position of unwillingly having to choose a successor to the power and legacy that was Sailor Uranus, and she explained that she wanted someone as tough, if not tougher than she was, but someone also intelligent enough to think on her feet if necessary. Haruka then asked Bethany if she would become the next Sailor Uranus…
"…and the rest is history," Melissa said to Cass, who had hung on every word of the story.. Melissa had gotten the majority of the story from Michiru after the elder Sailor Neptune had been caught by Bethany. Michiru thought she'd be more diplomatic with her pupil than Haruka had been with Bethany, but the elder Neptune was pleasantly surprised…
"What doesn't interfere with my duties as Sailor Neptune doesn't concern me," Melissa had said calmly.
Sandra exited Haruka's quarters and approached the other women.
"Hey," Cass said. "It's a lot quieter now. What did you say to them?"
Sandra smiled. "First I listened to them, then when they started arguing again, I told them that if they didn't stop, I'd lock them in a very small closet."
The three girls laughed as they turned to walk down toward the nearby lounge. "Come on," Sandra said. "Dinner's on me."
Fanfic ã1999 – John Brengman and Artemis Publishing
Sailor X series inspired by Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon,
ã 1992 by Toei Animation Co Ltd. and based on Kodansha's
manga production of "Sailor Moon", written by Naoko Takeuchi
This fanfic is freely distributed. Release date: July, 1999
Release: 3rd Edition – January 27, 2001